German American Frontiers of Science Alumni at the National Acadamy of Sciences of America and the Humboldt Foundation

2003-2006

DFG Emmy Noether Group Leader

2001-2002

DFG Emmy Noether Research Fellow

Research Sketch

The main areas of research of Prof. Haller are dedicated to the understanding of gut health and the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Nutrition and the intestinal microbiome play a pivotal role in the development of these complex pathologies and a key question of Prof. Haller and his team is how these environmental factors modulate inflammatory and tumorigenic responses. The intestinal epithelium provides a dynamic interface to sense the metabolic and microbial environment in the gut and is therefore prime target of the research activities. In the past years, Prof. Haller and his team generated a comprehensive and conclusive understanding how complex microbial communities and specific mechanisms of microbe-host interactions affect chronic inflammation and tumor development using germ-free models. In addition, the team developed a variety of novel tissue-specific mouse models and identified an essential role of the cellular metabolism in regulating gut homeostasis. Failure of organelle-specific (endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria) UPR signaling contributes to chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis. In addition, and most importantly for his goal to implement translational research, human intervention trials support the mechanistic studies in models and aim at defining the relevance of microbiome signatures in healthy populations (prospective cohort KORA and infants) and patients (IBD and CRC).

In the past years, Prof. Haller established a comprehensive research program at the national (DFG Priority Program SPP 1656) and local level (DFG Collaborative Research Center CRC 1371) to unravel the role of the gut microbiome in health and disease. Under the Directorship of Prof. Haller this scientific vision is now integrated into the TUM cooperate research center ZIEL – Institute for Food & Health. Novel infrastructure and technology platforms, including microbiome-related next-generation sequencing (NGS) and gnotobiotic mouse housing, are established and allow cutting-edge research at the interface of nutrition science and biomedicine.

Teaching

Basics in Immunology

Biofunctionality of Food

Nutrition and Microbe-Host Interaction

Experimental Immunology

Food and Health

Selected Memberships

German Society of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene (DGHM)

German Society of Mucosal Immunology and Microbiome (DGMIM)

European Network of Excellence on Nutrigenomics

Member of the reviewer Committee of the Leibniz Society

Member of the BMBF Road Map Committee

German American Frontiers of Science at the National Acadamy of Sciences